Brace for fence posts



A. W. NELSON l BRACE FOR FENCE POSTS Filed oct. 2, 1957 v 4,.yam .s 7 Qi Patented Feb. 14, 1939 `UNITED STATES PA'ET FFICE 2,147,496 RACE FOR FENCE POSTS August W. Nelson, North Branch, Minn.

Application October 2, 1937, Serial No. 167,041

2 Claims.

My invention has for its object the provision of a simple and highly efficient fence post brace intended for general use but especially well adapted for use in connection with snow fences along highways These fences, of course, must be put up and taken down each year and are located in windswept areas where there is considerable drifting of snow in the winter time.

The soil in these fined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l is a View of the invention in side elevation with a portion thereof broken away and sectioned, and also fragmentarily and diagrammatically illustrating a portion of a fence attached to the post;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in section taken on the irregular line 3-3 of Fig. l;

and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views partly in elevation and partly in section taken on the lines 4 -4 and 5-5 of Fig. 1, respectively.

The numeral 6 indicates a commercial metal fence post made from a T-bar having on the outer face of its head or transverse flange, two rows of longitudinally spaced notches 1.

These two rows of notches I are edgewise spaced and at the outer edge portions of the transverse flange, and the purpose thereof is to prevent the longitudinal wires of a fence secured around the post 6 from slipping longitudinally thereon.

The post 6 illustrated is a corner post driven int-o the ground and has secured thereto a fence X fragmentarily and diagrammatlcally illustrated by means of broken lines.

As an oblique brace 8 for the post E, I use a commercial member identical with the post 6 and arranged with its transverse flange turned upwardly whereby its notches 9 are in opposing relation to the notches l.

On the upper end of the (Cl. 18S-31.1)

brace 8 is a head IIJ and on the lower end thereof is a shoe II.

The head Ill has a T-shaped socket I2 into which the respective end of the brace 8 is removably telescoped. Said head ID, at its oppo- 5' site end from the socket I2, slidably bears against the outer edge of the body flange of the post 6, and said head, outwardly of this point of contact, is bifurcated and the body flange of the post 6 extends between the prongs I3 thereof. Obvil0 ously, the prongs 3 hold the head IIJ and hence the brace 8 against lateral movement relative to the post 6 but with freedom to permit the head IIJ to slide longitudinally on thepost 6.

The shoe I l is, as shown, relatively wide and 16 the ends thereof are curved upwardly and outwardly to facilitate the sliding of said shoe on the ground, the line of which is indicated by the letter y. This shoe II has a central longitudinal slot I I through which the respectiveend 2n of the body flange of the brace 8 extends and projects into the ground and thereby holds said brace against lateral movement. The transverse flange of the brace 3 rests on the shoe Il with freedom for rocking movement. 25

To hold the brace 8 and hence the head I0 against upwardly sliding movement on the post 6, I provide a cross-tie rod I4, which connects the brace 8 to the post S. This cross-tie rod I4 has on one end a triangular loop IE5 and on its other end a similar loop IE. These two loops I5 and I6 are movably connected to the rod I4 by eyes I1. The loop I5 loosely extends around the post E with freedom for longitudinal adjustment thereon, and its transverse portion extends intol one of the notches 'I and thereby holds said loop where adjusted vertically on the post 6. The loop I6 loosely extends around the brace 8 with freedom for longitudinal adjustment thereon, and its transverse portion extends into one of the notches S and thereby holds the loop I6 where adjusted on the brace E.

Obviously, the loops I5 and IE may be readily adjusted longitudinally on the post 6 and the brace to position the cross-tie rod I4 at the desired angle thereto and under sufficient tension to hold the head Il! from sliding upwardly on the post E, and the shoe I I from sliding on the ground away from the post Ii.

From the above description, it is evident that the invention maybe very quickly set up or taken down, and when in use will securely hold the post 6 in an upright position against the pull of the fence X thereon.

While the fence post and brace are shown and described as being formed from T-bars, it will, of course, be understood that said post and brace may be made from bars of any desired shape or form; for instance, I, L or U-bars may be used as well as round bars. It Will also be understood that the head which connects the brace to the post may be formed to meet the requirements of the type of bar used.

It will be understood that the invention described is capable of various modications Within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a post adapted to be anchored in an upright position, an oblique brace for the post, said post and brace being duplicates and having longitudinally spaced notches, said brace being provided at one end With a removable cap having interlocking engagement with the post, but free to slide longitudinally thereon, said brace having on its other end a removable shoe supporting the respective end of the brace with freedom for movement toward or from the post, and a cross-tie member having at each end a loop, one of which encircles the post and the other of which encircles the brace, said loops being free for longitudinal adjustment on either the post or the brace and having separable interlocking engagement with any one of the notches therein.

2. In a device of the kind described, a post adapted to be anchored in an upright position, an oblique brace, one end of which has interlocking engagement with the post but free to slide longitudinally thereon, the other end of the brace being free for sliding movement toward or from the post, .and a cross-tie member having on each end a pivotally connected loop, one of the loops encircling the posty and the other encircling the brace, said post and brace having means for holding the loops against movement longitudinally thereon.

AUGUST W. NELSON.. 

